“Everyone Uses Different Skills and Resources to Live Independently”: A Brief Report on Autistic Young Adults’ Perspectives on Independence and Daily Living Skills

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Kaplan‐Kahn, E. A., Ong, M. J. W., Ki, D., Caplan, R., Duncan, A., Kleiner, J. R., Larkin-Gilmore, N., Clayton, A. L., Maddox, B. B., Pugliese, C. E., Wallace, G. L., Kenworthy, L., & Yerys, B. E. (2025). “Everyone Uses Different Skills and Resources to Live Independently”: A Brief Report on Autistic Young Adults’ Perspectives on Independence and Daily Living Skills. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-025-06941-6

Publication date: 18 Jul 2025 Added to AutiHub: 5 Jul 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
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Authors

Publication authors
13
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 13 (7.7%)
  1. Elizabeth A. Kaplan‐Kahn
  2. Melanie J. W. Ong
  3. Dave Ki
  4. Reid Caplan *
  5. Amie Duncan
  1. Jamie R. Kleiner
  2. Natalie Larkin-Gilmore
  3. Alyssa L. Clayton
  4. Brenna B. Maddox
  5. Cara E. Pugliese
  1. Gregory L. Wallace
  2. Lauren Kenworthy
  3. Benjamin E. Yerys

Abstract

PURPOSE: Service providers and researchers need a better understanding of autistic perspectives on independence and daily living skills (DLS). These perspectives will help service providers and researchers create meaningful, accessible, and effective supports that promote the type of independence autistic people desire. We address this knowledge gap by asking autistic young adults about their perspectives on independence, and how DLS help them meet their independence goals. METHOD: Fifteen autistic young adults (ages 18–30 years) without co-occurring intellectual disability completed qualitative interviews. Participants provided reflections and insights about what living independently meant to them and how DLS were related to their independence goals. After transcribing and coding the interviews using NVivo, we used a modified grounded theory approach to generate summative themes. RESULTS: Thematic analysis revealed five summative themes: (1) self-sufficiency and autonomy, (2) varying levels of support to promote independence, (3) barriers to achieving desired level of independence, (4) the link between DLS and independence, and (5) distance between ‘normative’ standards of independence and the level of supports autistic adults desire to maximize their quality of life. CONCLUSION: Autistic young adults provided insights into the numerous ways they conceptualize and achieve their independence goals and highlighted heterogeneity in what ideal levels of independence look like for them. Participants reflected on the relationship between completing DLS – both with and without supports – and meeting their personal goals for independence. Our findings suggest that the heterogeneity of varying levels of independence goals sought by autistic young adults reflects a diverse range of individual aspirations, abilities, and support needs.

Bibliography cited by this reference

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Bibliography inclusion overview

These indicators describe the cited bibliography imported for this publication. Cited-reference metrics use the cited-reference total as denominator. Cited-author metrics state whether they use all cited-author occurrences or only occurrences linked to authors already integrated in the AutiHub database. They use cached links between cited authors and authors integrated in the AutiHub database. Last computed: 16 Aug 2026 11:30.

Cited references
33
Total cited references integrated for this publication.
Cited references with an identified autistic author
2 / 33 (6.1%)
Cited author occurrences identified as autistic
2 / 124 (1.6%)
Among occurrences linked to AutiHub author records: 2 / 46 (4.3%). Distinct cited authors identified as autistic: 2 / 107 (1.9%).
Cited author occurrences linked to AutiHub author records
46 / 124 (37.1%)
Distinct linked cited authors: 31 / 107 (29.0%)
Linked cited-author occurrences not identified as autistic
44 / 46 (95.7%)
Among linked cited-author occurrences only. Across all cited-author occurrences: 44 / 124 (35.5%). Distinct linked cited authors not identified as autistic: 29 / 31 (93.5%).
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